


a serenade

by springbreeze



Category: TsukiPro the Animation
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-05
Updated: 2020-05-18
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:54:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 5,965
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24021655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/springbreeze/pseuds/springbreeze
Summary: Day after day, people come and go, but the memories and experiences stay.And some people never leave at all.Kou birthday countdown fic.
Comments: 5
Kudos: 23





	1. 5/5 - Mochiduki: night lights

“Mochiduki-san, thank you again for driving me back to the dormitory. I’m sorry you had to come so far out.”

“Please don’t mention it, Kouki-kun. This is my job, after all, and it’s quite late for you to take the train back.”

In the reflection of the car’s rearview mirror, Mochiduki smiled in reassurance, and Kouki nodded before sitting back against the seat, letting out a soft exhale. His gaze slid sideways to the windows, watching other cars and the lights of the highway flash by faster than he could see.

“There’s still about half an hour before we get to the dorms. Why not rest a bit?”

“Thank you, maybe I will.”

But it was only one, two minutes before Kouki found himself opening his eyes again, blinking. In contrast to the darkness outside, the lights were more dazzling than usual.

“Can’t sleep?” Mochiduki remarked kindly, flipping the blinker switch casually to switch lanes.

Kouki thought for a moment before shaking his head. “Not exactly. I just realized it’s been a long time since we’ve been able to talk face-to-face like this.”

“That’s true. We see each other often, but only in short bursts since all of you are commuting between places.”

“Yes. So I thought it’d be a waste to just sleep…”

A soft laugh, and Mochiduki threw an amused glance towards Kouki. “I really don’t mind, Kouki-kun. You’ve certainly earned some rest after such a long day. Besides, I _am_ Growth’s manager. The less of me you see, the more it means I’m doing the job right.”

“I don’t want it to be like that all the time.” The response sprang forth before he had thought about it, and Kouki’s own eyes widened in surprise with Mochiduki’s, his voice firmer than he had intended. “It’s been two years since you’ve become our manager, and you’ve done so much for us. But I’d like to be able to talk more as friends, too. If it’s not a bother,” he added quickly, feeling a faint heat under his cheeks.

The silence that fell upon the car was a beat too long, and Kouki glanced back towards Mochiduki, slightly abashed.

“Kouki-kun, you really are a kind person.” Mochiduki smiled, an expression of seemingly half embarrassment and half pleasure, and the tips of his ears were just barely red as a streetlight glow flashed through the window. “No one will be a match for you in the coming days.”

“What?”

“Oh, don’t mind me.” Clearing his throat, Mochiduki continued, “Actually, I had a reason for coming to get you tonight.”

“What is it?”

“My family sent me some vegetables from Hokkaido again. It’s far more than I can eat on my own, so I was hoping you would take some. They’re in the trunk.”

Kouki instinctively turned back to look for a split second before realizing, but there was no mistaking the sparkle in his eyes. “I’d be glad to. I’ll bring you some dishes made from them.”

“Thank you, Kouki-kun.”

“I’m surprised that you already had them with you though, Mochiduki-san.”

“I knew you wouldn’t refuse. That’s the sort of thing friends know, isn’t it?”


	2. 5/6 - Tsubasa: migration

“Kouki!”

Kouki barely had time to turn back at the sound of his name before an arm was slung around his shoulders, sending him stumbling slightly. He looked up and was met with a beaming expression. “Tsubasa-san. Good evening.”

“Evening!” Tsubasa released him with a pat on the back, a mischievous glint in his eyes. “On your way back from a photoshoot?”

Kouki blinked. “Yes, how did you know?”

“A little birdy told me,” was Tsubasa’s airy reply, and he pointed into the distance at the closest skyscraper. “It also told me that you’re free for a couple hours. How about going shopping with me for a bit?”

It was not that the sudden invitation was unwelcome, but the bewilderment must have shown on his face because Tsubasa continued with a wink. “Actually, there’s an accessory I’ve been looking at, and I wanted a second opinion. I figured you’re no stranger to stuff like that, right?” Tsubasa pointed to his own ear, grinning.

Kouki smiled a little hesitantly back. “I don’t know if I’ll be much help, but I’d be glad to come with you.”

* * *

“Ah, so you only wear that many when you’re modeling.”

Kouki nodded back as they entered the store, a hundred sparkles glinting around them. “I tend to wear the same ear piercing and I don’t actually own that many accessories of my own.”

“No wonder I don’t see you with them outside of studios.” Tsubasa laughed then, good-naturedly. “They don’t go easy on decking you out, do they?”

“They can be… heavy-handed sometimes.”

“Well, I can see their perspective, you seem fun to dress up. Rikka would probably love to do it to you.” Leaving Kouki stock-still at the unexpected remark, Tsubasa bounded towards a display case, beckoning him over with a casual hand. “Here, come take a look at this one.”

* * *

“Tsubasa-san, I’ve wanted to ask for a while, but what’s graduate school like?”

“Hm?” Slightly ahead with his hands behind his head, Tsubasa glanced back, a small gift bag dangling from his fingers. “Are you looking into them?”

“I’m not sure yet,” Kouki replied slowly, adjusting his own bag over his shoulder. “But it’s something I know I should consider.”

“’Should’, huh?” Staring up into a darkened sky for a moment, Tsubasa turned to face Kouki, uncharacteristically straight-faced. “I’ve seen a lot of classmates who went to grad school just because they thought they should, or because they didn’t know what else to do. And judging from what I see, I think it’s more important that you ‘want’ to go.”

Kouki dropped his gaze to the ground. “I see. That makes sense.”

“I’m not saying all of them were off for the worse because of that,” Tsubasa continued. “But I think it’s a place you’d get more out of when you know what you want to do there.”

“And… you know what that is?”

“Most of the time.” Tsubasa laughed, and Kouki couldn’t help but smile back. “If you’re serious about it, we can talk more. But enough about me! More importantly, hold out your hand.”

“Huh?”

Without so much as a fanfare, Tsubasa dropped the gift bag into Kouki’s outstretched hand. “For you.”

“Me? But you said-”

“I never said the shopping was for me.” Tsubasa finished cheerfully, the mischievous glint that Kouki recalled from earlier dancing in Tsubasa’s eyes. “You said it was something even you’d wear, so I got what I came for.”

“I-I did say that, but…” Kouki stared down into the small bag. Nestled within tissue paper, the small, simply stylized bird in flight on a length of black string winked back up at him.

“Consider it a graduation gift. And if you need it to be, a little reminder that we can go anywhere we want.”

“…Thank you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These... keep turning out too long... They weren't supposed to be this long...
> 
> The title (and not really theme) of this one comes from the fact that both Tsubasa and Kou are the “bird” motifs in the Kachoufuugetsu series, heheh.


	3. 5/7 - Nozomu: an invitation

A loud, enthusiastic knocking on the common room door startled Kouki from the dishwashing, and the bubble-covered plate in his hands nearly slipped from his grasp as his head shot up. “Kou-kun! Are you there? Hey!”

“Nozomu? Just a moment,” Kouki called, rinsing the last plate and setting it carefully in the dish rack before he made his way to the entrance, untying the apron string behind him and folding it in his arms. Another knock sounded, slightly more tempered, and Kouki smiled a little wryly as he pulled open the door. “Sorry for the wait. What brings you here?”

Seemingly out of nowhere, two pieces of paper flapped in front of his nose, leaving Kouki blinking before he looked up to meet Nozomu’s playful grin. “I heard you were off today too! I got tickets to the amusement park, wanna go?” Nozomu’s gaze then dropped to the apron hanging over Kouki’s arm and he recoiled dramatically. “Sorry! Were you busy?”

“Oh, no, I just finished some chores.” Kouki smiled again at the sigh of relief, and looked back to the tickets clutched in Nozomu’s hand. “It sounds fun, but it’s a little unusual for you to invite me, isn’t it? Wouldn’t you rather go with Ken, or someone else in SOARA- oh,” the realization hit him, even as Nozomu opened his mouth nervously. “Is it because we’re the only two off today?”

“Y-Yeah!” Nozomu stammered, fidgeting for some reason. “And they expire, uh, today! They’d go to waste otherwise, and I’ve got two of them, so it’s perfect.”

“True…”

“And,” Nozomu straightened, beaming, like a ray of sunlight breaking through a cloud. “I wanted to go with you, Kou-kun. I’m sure we’ll have fun.”

A pause in his search for words, before a chuckle rose up in his throat. “…You’re always so convincing, Nozomu.” What was it about Nozomu’s presence that always evoked smiles from everyone around him, Kouki wondered in admiration, even as he felt the corners of his own lips turn upward yet again. “Alright, let’s go.”

* * *

“Ah, but we can skip the haunted house! It’s not that great, anyway.”

“T-Thank you, Nozomu.”

“Doesn’t seem like the kids are interested in it either.”

“…Where… are you looking?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The ending is a bit of a cop-out copy of that tweet from ALIVE Twitter way back, haha.


	4. 5/8 - Issei: on a rainy day

As with the previous day, a knocking sounded at the entrance, drowning out the already faint sound of rain outside, but this time it was entirely expected. Kouki strode across the room to open the door, smiling as his guest came into view. “Hello, Issei.”

“Hello, Kouki-san.” Issei blinked back at him, a book clutched in his arms. “I’m sorry for dropping by suddenly.”

“I wouldn’t call a message from this morning ‘suddenly’,” Kouki reassured, ushering Issei into Growth’s common room. “If anything, it’s more notice than I’ve had the last few days. Did you enjoy the book?”

“I did,” Issei nodded gratefully as he handed the book back to Kouki, who set it aside on the couch and gestured for Issei to sit down as well. “I heard it was good, but I wasn’t expecting it to be that good. I couldn’t put it down. Even Shuu and Eichi commented on it.” He uttered the last sentence almost as an afterthought, with an air of embarrassment.

“I’m glad you liked it so much.” Kouki hummed, casting a glance back at the book. “If both you and Ryou think it’s good, then I’m sure I’ll enjoy it too.”

At the words, Issei’s eyes widened slightly. “You haven’t read it yet, Kouki-san?”

“Not yet, I haven’t found the time to sit down and read lately.”

“But you let me borrow it…”

“I wasn’t going to read it any time soon, so I thought it’d better off with you for the time being.” Kouki smiled at Issei’s expression beginning to turn apologetic, waving him off. “Don’t worry about it, really. Actually, when I told Ryou that you were borrowing it, he told me about another one of his books to give to you if you liked that kind of story. Are you interested?”

“Oh, um, yes! I am,” Issei said quickly, but the gleam in his eyes belied his enthusiasm. “If you don’t mind…”

“Not at all.” Standing back up, Kouki retrieved the book from the shelf and passed it to Issei, who promptly turned it over to study the summary. “You can return it any time, of course.”

“Thank you again.” Yet Kouki sensed a hesitation in Issei—but only for a split second before Issei seemed to find the words. “Kouki-san, are you busy right now?”

“Hm? No, not particularly.”

“Then,” Issei continued, his gaze dropping to the book he had returned. “Would you like to read together for a little bit? You said you haven’t been able to read lately, so I thought… it might be nice if you were able to do it now, even if it’s only for a short time. And,” he added, looking back up. “Even if we don’t talk, I think sometimes, it’s nice… to not be alone when you read.”

The sudden inquiry took Kouki by genuine surprise, and he blinked. In the next moment, he felt a smile rise to his lips.

It was not the first time he had thought it, but the dormitory really was filled with nothing but kind people.

“…You know, that sounds like a great idea.” And the brightening in Issei’s expression only made Kouki’s smile grow wider. “How about I prepare some tea and snacks?”


	5. 5/9 - Ichiru: in a thousand words

“Ah! There you are!”

Kouki paused, finger mere inches away from pressing the elevator button, and turned back at the sound of footsteps running up to him. “Ichiru? What’s wrong?”

Skidding to a stop, Ichiru bent over to catch his breath, but almost as quickly straightened and leveled a wide-eyed gaze in Kouki’s direction. “I thought you were supposed to be back half an hour ago.”

“I was, but there was traffic,” Kouki replied, bemused. “Sorry, were you looking for me?”

“Huh? Ye- I mean- No! Well, only kind of,” Ichiru stammered, his eyes darting from side to side. “I’m just supposed to- I mean, I wanted to, uh, show you something! Yeah!”

“Show _me_ something?” Kouki found his head tipping to the side in confusion. Ichiru was far from a stranger, but it was rare for them both to speak directly. Coming to think of it, Kouki had the odd impression that he had been seeing many people more often than usual lately.

“Yeah! So come with me to the roof for a bit.” Ichiru paused and had the grace to look slightly abashed. “Sorry, I know you just got back from work. I promise it won’t take long.”

A little wryly, Kouki smiled. “I’m not in any rush.” With that, he lifted his arm and pressed the _up_ button for the elevator at last.

* * *

It was in the elevator that Kouki’s eyes fell upon the object hanging at Ichiru’s waist. “Is that a camera bag?”

“This? Yeah.” In a quick motion, Ichiru had unzipped the top and carefully pulled out a sturdy-looking camera. “It actually belongs to Issei, but he lets me borrow it all the time.” Pictures flashed by on the screen. Eichi and Shuu cooking in the kitchen. Issei looking out over a bridge at a sunset. A shot of Ichiru napping on the couch that the twin in question hurriedly skipped through. All four QUELL members with headphones in a radio booth, posing.

At each and every picture, Kouki smiled. “I know you must get it often, but QUELL really is a family. I can see how much you love them.”

Ichiru spluttered, the tips of his ears turning bright red. “Well, yeah!” he said hotly, just as the elevator doors opened and Ichiru stomped out, with Kouki following him in amusement.

“I bet Shuu-san and Eichi-san would be happy to hear that straight from you.”

“They’ll get too excited,” Ichiru grumbled, pushing the door to the roof open. “A-Anyway, enough about that. We’re here!”

The wind was stronger from the heights of the roof, and Kouki tucked away a strand of hair behind his ear before it could blow into his eyes. From the west, the sun was just beginning to set, golden rays spilling over their silhouettes and shadows. “I don’t think I’ve been up here at this time of day before,” he said out loud with a note of wonder. “The view is nice.”

“They call this time of day ‘the magic hour’,” Ichiru said, sounding proud of his knowledge. “It’s one of the best times for taking pictures. And uh, I kinda had a favor to ask. Can I take your picture?” Even awash in orange light, Ichiru’s cheeks had noticeably colored. “I’m doing… a project! Yeah, a picture project with everyone, so I need pictures. And I thought a picture with you would, um, look good at this time…”

The contrast from Ichiru’s bravado in the beginning and his meek request now made Kouki chuckle a little. “I don’t mind.” An idea struck him then. “But only if I can ask you a favor too.”

“A-A favor?”

“Some other day, will you take another picture for me?”

“What kind of picture?”

At the mere thought of them, Kouki could not resist a glance in their direction, even if he couldn’t see. “A picture of Growth as a group at this ‘magic hour’ again.”

Ichiru beamed. “Sure!”


	6. 5/10 - Dai: give and take

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Playing catch-up...... sweats

“Ah.”

“Oh.”

No sooner had Kouki opened the door to the hallway, he found himself facing another familiar face, who looked equally surprised to see him. “Dai-san?”

“Hey. So it was this room you were in.” The blue-haired SolidS member glanced momentarily at the room label before directing his gaze back to Kouki. “I heard we’d be at the same studio around the same time today. Came to see if you wanted to get lunch.”

The sudden invitation caught Kouki off-guard, but he nodded in the next moment. “I’d be happy to. Did you have somewhere in mind?”

“Tsubasa suggested a place to me a while back,” Dai replied noncommittedly, starting to walk forward, and Kouki quickened his steps to follow behind. “I never got around to going, but it’s close by so might as well.”

“I see.”

* * *

“It’s a small place, but it’s comfortable here,” Kouki remarked, after they had finished their meal. “And it’s surprisingly trendy on the inside. I can see why Tsubasa-san recommended it.”

“He’s got an unfortunately good sense of taste,” Dai agreed, his chin resting in his hand. “I hate to say it, but I haven’t regretted any of his suggestions. Yet.”

“Excuse me,” a timid voice called, and they both turned to see one of the servers balancing a large plate in her arms. “I’ve brought your dessert. Here’s our café’s limited edition seasonal pancake stack, with fresh fruit and ice cream on top.”

Kouki was left wondering when they had ordered the dessert when Dai lifted his hand in acknowledgement. _Ah._ With surprising grace, the server set the towering dessert before them and bowed before scurrying back towards the kitchen.

“And I see another reason why Tsubasa-san recommended this place,” Kouki couldn’t help but comment, a small, amused smile rising to his lips. Dai’s eyebrows furrowed slightly.

“…It’s not like it’s a secret.”

“I’m glad you invited me for lunch, Dai-san.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Dai scowled, before pushing a second fork across the table. “Here. Tsubasa’ll never let me hear the end of it if he finds out I came to his suggested place, so consider it a trade. I’m paying, anyway.”

“Huh? You don’t have to-”

“I’m paying,” Dai repeated, in a tone that invited no further argument, before stabbing his fork into the pile of pancakes.

Hesitantly, Kouki picked up the other fork and cut into the pancakes from the other side to take a bite. The fluffy texture made chewing pleasant, and a distinct sweetness filled his mouth. “It tastes a little different from your average pancake desserts,” Kouki murmured, almost to himself. “I wonder what this flavor they added is…”

“Why don’t you ask them?” Dai asked, after swallowing his own mouthful.

“I’d like to find out and try making it on my own.” He took another bite, wondering if Ryou would be able to identify it. “It’ll be like a puzzle.”

“Sounds like something Rikka would say. Both of you sure like to cook.”

Kouki smiled. “I can’t deny that. I’ll bring some for you to test, Dai-san. Since you’re the only other person who knows how these pancakes taste.”

“…Hm.”


	7. 5/11 - Ren: crossing blades

_Clack! Clack! Clack!_

“Alright, that’s enough,” the choreographer called from behind them, checking her watch. “This is as far as we’ll go today, but you’re welcome to stay and practice longer. Just be sure not to overdo it.”

“Yes,” the room at large chorused. “Thank you for today.”

As the other occupants broke into chatter to pack up and leave, Ren approached Kouki, still holding the practice sword in his hands. “Kouki-san, thank you for being my partner in practice today.”

“I should be the one thanking you,” Kouki replied with a smile. “You gave me a lot of good advice. Soushi told me that you did kendo, right? This must all feel natural to you.”

“Oh, no no no,” Ren stammered, waving a hand in front of his face. “Kendo is completely different from stage sword fighting, even down to the tools.” He gestured at the prop for emphasis. “Doing kendo doesn’t give me any sort of advantage.”

“Don’t give yourself so little credit,” Kouki laughed. “You seemed right at home with a sword in your hand. It looked beautiful.”

Ren colored deeply, much to Kouki’s concern, but in the next second he merely bowed low. “T-Thank you,” Ren mumbled, straightening. “By the way, Kouki-san, are you, um, coming back to the dorms after this? Shall we go together?”

“Actually, I was going to stay a little longer to practice on my own,” he admitted, glancing at the prop sword still in his hand. “I think I could use a bit of time where there aren’t so many people around.”

“Oh.” Kouki’s response seemed to only fluster Ren even more for some reason, and he was about to open his mouth again to respond when Ren’s head shot back up, a steely determined gaze in his eyes. “Would you like me to be your sparring partner?”

Kouki paused. “Are you sure?”

“Yes! It’d make me happy to help you.” Ren smiled, a little shyly, but the grip on his sword tightened. “…But I won’t go easy on you. I-If that’s okay.”

Smiling back, Kouki took up his own sword. “I wouldn’t expect anything less.”


	8. 5/12 - Morihito: sidelines

“Oh, Kou. What a coincidence.”

“Mori?”

Kouki turned at the sound of Morihito’s mild surprise. Neither of them were particularly loud speakers, but in the quiet of a library, their voices carried more than usual.

A stack of difficult looking books in one arm, Morihito drew closer to keep their voices down. “Did you come here from work?”

“Yeah. You too?”

“Mmhm. I didn’t think I’d run into you here.” Morihito adjusted his grip on the books, smiling. “Are you going back to the dorms after you’re done? Do you want to grab a coffee on the way?”

Like a puzzle, the pieces fell into place. Kouki nodded in agreement. “Sure. I’m just about done here.”

* * *

It was after they had placed their orders and sat down at a table, Mori carefully setting the bag of books at his feet, that Kouki leaned forward with his fingers laced, and smiled a little wryly, a little mischievously. “So it’s Mori today?”

Morihito froze, eyes widening, and his mouth opened as if to form a rebuttal, but in the end, he shrugged his shoulders with an amused laugh. “It is. When did you find out?”

“Not immediately, at least,” Kouki reassured. “I think it started with Nozomu suddenly inviting me to the amusement park. Don’t worry,” Kouki added at the look on Morihito’s face. “We had a lot of fun.”

“Glad to hear that.” Morihito sighed, his chin dropping into his palm. “Nozomu was adamant about it, but it’s still something of a relief to hear you say so.”

“With Nozomu around, it’s impossible not to have fun,” Kouki laughed. “But it was the first time I took notice. After that, well, it wasn’t hard to see how someone was coming to me every day, out of nowhere. I was sure around the time Dai-san and I went to lunch.”

“I’ll have to stop by Growth’s room when we’re back to apologize to everyone else.”

“Apologize? But you didn’t do anything wrong.” Kouki tipped his head to the side. “If that’s the case, I’ll apologize with you.”

“No no, I can’t have you do that…”

“I’m surprised you knew to find me at the library though,” Kouki said as he sipped at his coffee. “I don’t think I told anyone I was going. It was a spur of the moment decision, to be honest.”

“No, that really was a coincidence.” Morihito smiled back wryly. “I was going to message you after I got back to the dorms, but then I actually ran into you. My plan was always just to have a leisurely chat over coffee, though. We haven’t done that in a while.”

* * *

“Sora and Mamoru both seem equally excited and nervous about the new xLied project, then.”

“You should hear Sora muttering to himself when he’s working on it. He keeps saying there has to be a good enough balance of youth and ‘sparkliness’.”

“Is that supposed to refer to me? He doesn’t need to worry so much, I trust him to make a song that we’d both be satisfied with.”

“I tell him that too, but it looks like it’s still hard to accept some days.”

“Well, it’s not like I don’t understand. Mamoru is the same way.”

“…It’ll be the first time we’re not singing songs made by them, huh? To be honest, I’m a little jealous of Ken and Sou.”

“I feel… the same way, a little.”

“…It’ll be our little secret from them both.”


	9. 5/13 - Eichi: care

When Kouki dutifully opened the door at the polite knocking, he came face to face with an expression that was all smiles. “Good morning, Eichi-san.”

“Good morning, Kouki-kun,” Eichi replied cheerfully. “It’s me today!”

Kouki blinked. “Ah…”

“Oh, don’t look like that,” Eichi laughed, waving a hand. “If you already know, there’s not much point to trying to play it cool. Let’s just have a relaxing time, alright?”

Despite himself, Kouki smiled. “Alright.”

“I hope you haven’t had breakfast yet,” Eichi continued, and at last Kouki noticed the plastic bag hanging by Eichi’s side. “I have to run, but I thought I’d drop by in the morning to give you this and ask if there’s anything in particular you wanted to do.” With his other hand, Eichi rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “It’s a little embarrassing to say, but I couldn’t think of anything, so I decided I would just ask you directly to make it easier on both of us.”

“This is already plenty though,” Kouki protested as Eichi dropped the plastic bag, still slightly warm, into his arms, with a delicious scent wafting from it. “Really, I’d be happy with this.”

“Don’t be shy!” Eichi beamed. “Just say the word, and I’ll make it happen.”

“…Then,” Kouki began hesitantly, but at Eichi’s eager nod of encouragement, his voice grew stronger. “May I accompany you at work today?”

“Huh!?”

“I’ve always admired you for having experience in so many different fields and your ability to communicate with so many different types of people, so I’d like to learn from watching you go through your day,” Kouki continued steadily. “I want to be the same way for Growth’s sake, so that I can act as leader to the best of my ability. I promise I won’t cause you trouble, Eichi-san.”

“…Well, that wasn’t something I was expecting,” Eichi laughed nervously, and his ears seemed faintly pink. “I don’t mind, but are you sure? I can’t guarantee it’ll be any fun.”

Kouki nodded resolutely, and a stir of excitement leaped in his chest. “I’d like nothing more.”

“Alright then,” Eichi sighed, bemused. “You and Shuu sure are serious in similar ways.”

“Is that… a compliment?”

“Of course it is.” With another smile, Eichi’s hand came down in a solid pat on Kouki’s head. “But first, how about you eat that breakfast before it gets cold?”


	10. 5/14 - Soushi: exaggeration

“And with that, the inhabitants of SOARA Castle and Growth Castle lived happily ever after.”

“That was… quite a dramatic story.”

Kouki smiled a little wryly as Soushi finished his tale, the sound of his voice replaced by the gentle rattling of the train they were on. “Well, it’s not even that much more dramatic than real life,” Soushi said, leaning back against his seat. “You can probably tell what I took inspiration from.”

“That disaster that happened to Sora (castle version) was from when he accidentally deleted his work in progress one summer, right?”

“Bingo.”

“Still, I didn’t know you had such a knack for storytelling.”

Soushi snorted in amusement, waving a lazy hand. “You’re about the only one who takes it so seriously. Sora would’ve butted in a hundred different times with some smart remarks of his own.”

Frowning at the remark, Kouki replied, slightly sullenly, “I found it genuinely compelling though…”

“That wasn’t a dig at you,” Soushi grinned, tapping Kouki’s shoulder. “So don’t make that face at me. Who else would I get to talk about salt with?”

They were interrupted by the train intercom’s announcement of their arrival and stood, collecting their bags before walking out under a modestly sunny sky. In the distance, an imposing structure loomed over the trees surrounding it.

“There it is,” Soushi said, a clear glint of enjoyment in his eyes. “Shall we start our castle tour?”

“It’s been a long time since I’ve been to one,” Kouki smiled. “Let’s go.”

* * *

“These cookies are in the shape of the castle, huh.”

“Ryou might like those…”

“There’s some sunscreen made from the orange trees that grow in the park here.”

“Ken could use that…”

“This looks like an air freshener that’s supposed to help you sleep better. It has the same scent they use in the castle.”

“I wonder if it would work on Mamoru…”

As if the remark was the last straw, Soushi looked to Kouki, and then at the small pile of souvenirs that lay in the basket, a little incredulously. “You really love those guys, huh.”

Kouki blinked, looking down at the basket as well. “Of course I do. You feel the same about everyone in SOARA, don’t you?” His line of sight moved to the basket in Soushi’s hand, similarly filled with items.

“Well, I guess.” Soushi looked away quickly, his hand coming up to the back of his neck. “Wouldn’t be with them otherwise.”

A quiet chuckle escaped Kouki, along with a small jab of satisfaction. “You could just say so honestly like I do.”

“Shush, you.”


	11. 5/15 - Rikka: we who watch

“Let’s have a cooking party. You can take half of it back to Growth’s room for dinner.”

So Rikka said as he led Kouki by the arm to the room of the SolidS members, with Kouki too flustered to do anything more than follow along obediently.

“Rikka-san, I’m really grateful,” Kouki began, even as Rikka tossed an apron into his arms while reaching for another. “But please let me at least pay for ingredients or something-”

“You really I’d let you do that?” Rikka smiled, tying the apron strings with a flourish and moving around to tie Kouki’s as well. “No need to protest, or else I’ll send you home with even more food, Kouki.”

Despite himself, it was as though his hands automatically reached towards the kitchen tools that Rikka laid neatly out one by one. Whole vegetables became colorful piles across the cutting board, eggs were cracked and whisked into a bowl that Kouki handed to Rikka who stood at the stovetop in seamless sequence, spices and sauces went into a bowl of meat that was set aside for marinating.

“Is everyone else in SolidS still at work?” Kouki asked, watching flour pile up like a snowy mound into a bowl as he sifted it.

“Dai and Tsubasa are doing a photoshoot, and Shiki’s holed up in his room composing,” Rikka hummed over the sizzling of oil in a frying pan. “I’m hoping the smell of food will lure him out later.”

“…It almost sounds like you’re trying to catch a wild animal,” Kouki murmured to himself, then jolted at the slip, but Rikka only laughed.

“It certainly feels like that sometimes. We’ve done all sorts of things to get a glimpse of the illusive Shiki, especially when he’s in that mode.” Nevertheless, the sound of Rikka’s voice was more fond than anything. “But while he might need reminders to take care of himself, I trust that he’ll always come out in the end, whenever he’s ready. And that’s when I’ll spoil him until he can’t take it anymore.”

“…You’re amazing, Rikka-san.” It was impossible to keep the awe out of his voice. “There are times when Mamoru is… like that too. It’s been five years since we’ve met, but sometimes, I’m still not sure when to step in or not.”

“Really?” Rikka turned to Kouki, a glimmer of amusement in his eyes. “There was that one night Mamoru came to drink with us, and he got quite emotional about how you always have perfect timing.”

Kouki felt his ears burn.

“I know how you must feel though.” The turning click of a dial and the flame of the stovetop dissipated as Rikka came to stand next to him by the sink. “It’s the fate of people like us, who watch people like them from the sidelines. I’ve known Shiki for over ten years, and it’s still not smooth going all the time.” Rikka brought his hand up casually, a slender finger wiping off a streak of flour from Kouki’s cheek, and smiled. “But you always reach them eventually, and they know. So have a little more confidence in yourself. The fact that you tried will never be a mistake.”


	12. 5/16 - Shuu: teatime

“Sorry that this is all I have to offer,” Shuu said as he poured the contents of the teapot into Kouki’s cup. Wisps of steam rose from the surface of the tea, and Kouki felt his shoulders relax at the fragrance.

“I’m more than happy with this,” he said earnestly, taking the cup up with both hands. “All of us in Growth drink tea a fair amount too, but it’s refreshing to drink it in a different environment with different people.”

“I agree,” Shuu smiled, filling a second teacup for himself. “By the way, I heard that you helped Eichi out the other day.”

“I wouldn’t call it so far as helping… Eichi-san just accommodated my selfish request to watch him work.”

“That’s not true,” Shuu rebuked gently, lifting the teacup to his lips. “He spoke highly of your observational skills and curiosity. I think he enjoyed explaining all the details of what he does to an interested audience.”

“I learned a lot too,” Kouki said, and added in amusement, “And I learned a lot about QUELL’s daily routines as well.”

“Oh? Well, I can imagine Eichi going on a tangent about something the twins did.”

“Are you saying that you don’t do the same at the leaders’ meetings sometimes?” Kouki asked, smiling a little wryly, an expression that Shuu returned. “But to be honest, I think you and Eichi-san are talented at taking care of others. I’m sure Issei and Ichiru would agree.”

“They grow up so fast,” Shuu sighed with a dramatic shake of his head. “Eichi probably feels the same way. It’s both frightening and exhilarating to see them becoming more and more independent.” And as if the thought suddenly struck him, he looked towards Kouki. “Come to think of it, it’s a little similar with you and Sora. I’m sure Shiki wouldn’t disagree either.”

Kouki coughed on his tea. “Me and Sora?”

“Both you and Sora were the newest, youngest unit group leaders. But we’ve watched you grow and learn to take charge too, eager to prove yourselves, and now we’ve all stood on the same stage.”

“It’s still all Sora and I can do to keep up with people like you and Shiki-san, even if we’ve gotten a little used to it.”

“It doesn’t change that you’ve grown into your roles as leaders.” Shuu’s smile grew wider. “But at the same time, you and Sora are still our reliable, adorable juniors. There’s no need to separate the two facts.”

“…It’s not fair when you pull the adult card on us, Shuu-san.”

**Author's Note:**

> An attempt, and a countdown. I'm out of practice but hopefully it just ends up as cute fluff.
> 
> [I'm here on Twitter~](https://twitter.com/tomodachimeter)


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